[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 114 (Wednesday, July 10, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H4578-H4581]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           REPUBLICAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Miller of Ohio). Under the Speaker's 
announced policy of January 9, 2023, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. 
Moore) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority 
leader.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special 
Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Utah?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to be back on the House 
floor with my colleagues to host a Special Order on the many things 
House Republicans are doing on behalf of the American people.
  This week, we are working hard to protect consumer choice, our 
elections, and our national security. We have brought to the floor the 
Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, the SAVE Act, to defend our 
elections from foreign involvement and ensuring only American citizens 
have the right to vote in our Nation's elections.
  This is commonsense legislation that would require proof of 
citizenship to register to vote, which is more and more critical as our 
borders remain wide open and our immigration crisis continues.

                              {time}  1915

  The argument on this particular bill is that it is already law that 
you have to be an American citizen to vote in Federal elections. We all 
know that. It is also illegal to continue to cross the border. We have 
to take action to safeguard our elections, and we are doing that this 
week.
  We also passed the Refrigerator Freedom Act and the Stop Unaffordable 
Dishwasher Standards Act which protects consumer choice in home 
appliances.
  As Democrats continue to push for burdensome regulations and bans 
that

[[Page H4579]]

are not feasible, affordable, or reliable, House Republicans are 
advocating for American families and their ability to choose the home 
appliances that suit their needs and budget. We don't want to be having 
to bring this legislation up. This is nonsensical regulation that 
shouldn't exist, and we need to make sure consumers have simple choices 
and that manufacturers have the opportunity to make good products. They 
will make the products that consumers want and that consumers need. 
Consumers are responsible. We have to allow that to happen.
  We will also consider the Fiscal Year 2025 Legislative Branch 
Appropriations Act, which ensures Congress can better serve the 
American people with tools to pursue fiscal responsibility while 
maintaining essential resources for congressional oversight among other 
provisions to support staff offices and the Capitol Police.
  The need for congressional oversight of the Biden administration has 
never been more important as inflation continues to burden Americans 
and the crisis at our southern border threatens the safety of 
communities across the Nation.
  I thank my colleagues for joining me this evening to speak on these 
important topics. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee 
(Mr. Rose).
  Mr. ROSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the vice chairman for yielding me time 
tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, election officials from my home State of Tennessee are 
perplexed as to why they are not allowed to certify U.S. citizenship 
when registering individuals to vote. Oftentimes, they tell me it is 
against Federal law, and they have no idea why.
  That is why today the House passed the Safeguard American Voter 
Eligibility Act or the SAVE Act, which will update this archaic and 
idiotic impediment to securing our Nation's elections. Not only will it 
allow State election officials to ask prospective voters to certify 
their citizenship status, but it will require it by law.
  My friends on the left and in the mainstream media love to argue how 
voting in American elections as a noncitizen is already illegal. Well, 
Mr. Speaker, so is entering our country illegally through the southern 
border. That doesn't seem to stop progressive Democrats or the Biden 
administration from welcoming them into our communities with open arms.
  Additionally, in order to certify one's citizenship, the SAVE Act 
requires an individual to actually provide proof of citizenship in 
order to register to vote. Again, my friends would argue that this 
isn't necessary because it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote 
in Federal elections. Well, how do we currently confirm people's 
citizenship status? We require would-be voters to swear but not prove 
that they are U.S. citizens.
  Democrats love to imagine a world that exists where no one, I repeat 
no one, is lying when filling out these applications because according 
to them, illegal immigrants don't vote in our elections. Give me a 
break.
  The SAVE Act is as common sense as it gets. It protects what is most 
sacred to Americans--their right to vote. It allows State officials to 
accept a wide variety of documents to make it easy to register, provide 
States with access to Federal databases so that they can remove 
noncitizens from their rolls, and it requires the Department of 
Homeland Security to notify a State chief election official whenever an 
individual has been naturalized to ensure that our newest citizens who 
come to America the right way can exercise their right to vote.
  I truly have no idea why anyone would be opposed to this bill, Mr. 
Speaker. Perhaps those opposed fear that with 100 percent secure and 
safe elections in the United States that they would not remain 
competitive in the next election. I truly can't think of any other 
reason to not vote for this bill.
  It is no secret, Mr. Speaker. The Democrats have started saying the 
quiet part out loud. Letting millions of illegal immigrants into our 
country and letting them vote--that is their plan.
  Republicans have a different plan for America--one built on honesty, 
safety, security, and accountability.
  I stand in support of the millions of Americans who feel like their 
priorities, their votes, are being thrown away by each illegal 
immigrant voting in American elections. That is why I rise in support 
of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility or SAVE Act.
  Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, the point that the gentleman makes 
about he just doesn't understand why anyone would be against this, as I 
have seen the arguments for this, it is so simple, and it is so clear. 
There is no reason to be against this.
  The American people are concerned about this. We clearly see now this 
isn't just a conservative talking point that there is a problem at the 
southern border. This is a widespread massive issue with all Americans 
recognizing that this is a problem. We have gotten to the point now 
where Democrats are willing to admit that this is a major problem.
  The point of this legislation is to remove noncitizens from voter 
rolls making sure that American citizens--again, it is already illegal 
to do what is going on at the border. Americans are right to be 
concerned about this seeping into our elections and municipalities and 
random States here or there allowing for it to take place at the 
municipal level, and then the voter rolls get built up, and then they 
end up voting for the next election because the voter rolls are 
overlapped.
  We have to do a better job safeguarding it. That is why Mr. Rose's 
point is so clear--why would anyone be against this? This is not an 
effort to just divide Congress like so many times that happens here. We 
need to make sure we are safeguarding this.

  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin).
  Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Utah, Mr. Moore, for 
having this Special Order, which is so important.
  Mr. Speaker, if it was not abundantly clear already to the American 
people before, it certainly is now. Democrats want noncitizens to vote 
in our Federal elections. They can't deny it now. There is no other way 
to spin this. They want to allow noncitizens to vote. They are 
certainly no longer even hiding that fact anymore.
  Today, we voted on the SAVE Act, a bill that requires individuals to 
provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote in Federal 
elections and provides States with access to existing Federal databases 
so that they can clean up their voter registration rolls and remove 
noncitizens and even dead people from the rolls.
  It is a commonsense bill that nearly 80 percent of voters are in 
support of. Yet, my colleagues across the aisle refused to support it.
  Why is this? Well, the truth is simple. It is un-American, and as 
ridiculous and as outlandish as it is, the Democrats want foreign 
nationals to decide our Nation's elections, and they want them voting 
in their favor.
  This is not a conspiracy. This is not a theory. This is a fact. 
Hundreds of noncitizens are already registered to vote in local 
elections right here in Washington, D.C., alone, but the left doesn't 
know when to stop.
  It isn't enough to dismantle our national security by implementing 
open-border policies that give our adversaries easier access to the 
United States.
  It isn't enough to blindly catch and release millions of unvetted 
illegal aliens and criminals and suspected terrorists all on the 
taxpayer's dime.
  It isn't even enough that Americans are dying at the hands of those 
illegal border crossers or by the deadly drugs that they smuggle into 
the country by the hundreds of thousands every single day.
  Every year, over 100,000 Americans are dying of overdoses. Joe Biden 
could end the illegal invasion taking place in my home State of Texas 
and other border States overnight, but, instead, the President and his 
party continue to twist the knife taking the border crisis one step 
further and eroding our most precious right as Americans, and that is 
the right to vote, the sacred right to vote.
  Republicans will not stand by, I can tell you this, and allow this 
lawless travesty to unfold and one-party rule to take root in the 
United States of America.
  The SAVE Act is critical to safeguard election integrity, something 
today's progressive Democrats clearly oppose. Is this even the same 
Democratic Party that I remember from just

[[Page H4580]]

a few decades ago, much less 50 years ago? It seems to have gone off 
the rails into the far-left Marxist arena and realm now.
  I ask American citizens to please take note, take note of these 
Democrats that are voting against this bill and our President's foolish 
promise to veto it. Yes, your eyes are not lying. They did.
  We are witnessing an attempt by the Democratic Party to simply hijack 
U.S. elections on a permanent basis. We cannot ever allow this to 
happen. If the grand experiment that is the United States of America is 
to continue for another 248 years, we must act now to ensure that only 
Americans can vote in American elections.
  The law is clear. Only U.S. citizens can vote. Why do the Democrats 
not want voters to prove that they are U.S. citizens when they register 
and vote?
  Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I can't emphasize that last point 
enough. It is already law. This is extra safeguards because of the 
mayhem that we have seen at the border. The only way to control this is 
to make sure that we have American citizens showing that they are 
allowed to vote and then being able to clean up voter rolls.
  Mr. BABIN. Amen.
  Mr. MOORE of Utah. It is simple. This is not a partisan issue. There 
are many partisan issues here, and we know they are going to be 
partisan, and this is not meant to be. I will share more on that in a 
minute.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington), one 
of my closest colleagues and de facto mentors, someone I shared a 
significant passion with on getting our debt and deficit under control. 
He has a message here that is even more important, I believe. He will 
share a message on what I believe is one of the most important things: 
supporting our community members.


                          Honoring Dave Smith

  Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah, my dear 
friend, fellow warrior for fiscal responsibility, and one of my 
favorite Members who is in the trenches fighting for the future of this 
country and to ensure that we don't bankrupt it but that we preserve 
the freedom and opportunities for our children. I know he loves his 
family, and that love manifests in the way he conducts himself here in 
Washington and his leadership. I thank him for that.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank him for the opportunity to rise to honor the 
life and legacy of a dear friend of mine, Officer Dave Smith. He passed 
away a couple weeks ago. This is a man that I met in a very interesting 
and dubious way. I was pulled over for speeding. I wasn't driving at 
the time. This was in my first term, my first campaign for Congress. 
Out of the car comes this almost 7-foot gigantic man who looked like he 
was going to throw me in jail, and, instead, I got a warning; but 
better than that, I got a friend for life, a brother in Christ for 
eternity, and I just couldn't imagine the kind of relationship I would 
have with this very special man.
  Dave would call me from time to time and leave the most encouraging 
messages. He was, like I said, almost 7 feet tall. He was a giant of a 
man. His stature was only eclipsed by the size of his heart--for God, 
for family, and for this country. I always looked forward to hearing 
the voicemails he would leave me and the encouraging words, the 
affirming words. He would say: ``Keep your head up.'' He would say: 
``Keep your eyes on the Lord.'' He would say: ``Keep fighting the good 
fight because we need you.''

                              {time}  1930

  I have kept those, Mr. Speaker, on my phone, and I listened to them 
the other day before I went to his funeral. I think about Barnabas, the 
son of encouragement in the Bible. I can tell you, Dave Smith was my 
Barnabas. I cherish the friendship. I will cherish those words of 
encouragement.
  His funeral was a celebration the way I would want my funeral to be. 
It was a testament to a life well lived, a life well lived because of 
the people like me whose lives he touched, for the service that he gave 
day in and day out to protect and serve his community as an educator, 
as a law enforcement officer, as a mentor, as a coach. It was a 
testament to the family he loved so dearly.
  All of his children, eight in total, were there at the funeral. The 
Bible says in Proverbs that a good man will deposit an inheritance for 
his children and his children's children. Let me be clear, watching his 
son Brennon stand in that pulpit and love on his dad and honor his dad, 
it was clear. You could see the leadership, the love, and the character 
in his oldest son. It was clear to me that that proverb had been 
fulfilled, that Dave Smith left his children and his community a good 
inheritance.
  It was also a homecoming celebration because as believers, the Bible 
teaches us that while we grieve the loss of our friends and family 
members, it says that we are not to grieve as the world grieves because 
of those promises, the promises that we hear often quoted, the promises 
of God that whoever believes in his Son shall not perish but live 
forever. I know that was a promise that Officer Dave Smith believed 
with all of his heart.
  We lost one of west Texas' finest in Big Dave Smith. I know Taneka 
lost her husband, his family lost their father, the world lost a bright 
light, and I lost a friend and brother in Christ, but he is not lost. 
He is alive and well today, maybe more so than ever. He is home. He is 
with his Heavenly Father. He has inherited that promise, eternal life.
  Because he was so dedicated to his faith, I am going to end with a 
scripture verse that I hope encourages everybody who would listen to 
this commemorative set of remarks for Dave Smith.
  In Romans 8:38-39, Paul is writing to the church at Rome, and he 
says: ``For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels 
nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither 
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to 
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.''
  He is home. He is present with his Heavenly Father. I would just say 
to Taneka and his family that we will be with him again one day in 
paradise for all eternity. That is the hope we have.
  I thank brother Dave Smith. I know he is resting on high. I know I 
will see him again.
  God bless the Smith family. God bless our great country.
  Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I share my condolences and offer them 
to the Smith family, as well. It was a beautiful tribute, and I 
appreciate the gentleman for highlighting these amazing community 
members who sacrifice so much.
  I thank, as we wrap up, my Republican colleagues for being here and 
taking time to speak on some of the most pressing issues facing our 
Nation week in and week out that we are here as we try to advance 
various initiatives.
  Congress is a tough place. The House of Representatives tends to be a 
more partisan body where we have a lot more partisan fights. The Senate 
tends to be a more collaborative body where you try to pass a 
filibuster.
  All of that being said, the work that we did this week should not be 
that. We have a massive immigration problem in our Nation. Right now, 
we have a border with inept policies that are allowing illegal 
immigration to run rampant in our country.
  We have to get this under control, but one of the negative 
externalities from this that will be dangerous to the future of our 
Nation is if our elections are not safeguarded.
  The SAVE Act this week was a very simple measure. It was not intended 
to be partisan in any way to simply say American citizens are allowed 
to vote in Federal elections and we can take steps to prove that 
American citizenship, as well as remove noncitizens from voter rolls. 
That is the intent of the legislation. It should be basic and simple, 
but here we are.
  This is, again, the reason why House Republicans put the Safeguard 
American Voter Eligibility Act on the floor, as I mentioned the things 
that it highlights.
  Again, we are at this place where it became partisan, and Democrats 
opposed the bill. Perhaps an attempt to weaponize our elections 
benefits immigrants who illegally enter our country and advance the 
far-left agenda.
  We have evidence of noncitizens voting in U.S. elections in 
Massachusetts, Ohio, Virginia, and more. Americans are concerned about 
this. The outcomes of our elections can carry significant consequences 
for the direction of our Nation. We cannot allow those

[[Page H4581]]

who do not legally live here to influence our policy decisions through 
elected government.
  This legislation will ensure our elections stay fair, democratic, and 
reflective of the American people. I am hopeful that the Senate will 
see the value and the intent of this.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for sharing their message, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________